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Ron Fulcher wrote:The continued practice of gating of caves while ignoring the abundant evidence of their adverse affect on caves is a travesty. Their may even be instances where protecting a cave dwelling population and encouraging its expansion may lead to the reintroduction of diseases that have been lying dormant. There are some who now think that this is where and how WNS actually came to be reintroduced to the bat populations.
caveparrott wrote:Cave gates are now a part of our reality. And have been for over 30+ years now. And I would suspect that they will continue to become an increasing sight. Now if we as cavers adhered to the rules and stay out of caves at a time when the bats were present, then there would be no reason to gate a cave. But it's not always the cavers. It is the spelunkers. The ones that live down the road and want to "go have fun and kills me some bats!" Because that is pretty much what happened at Laurel Cave at Carter Cave State Park. And it was not one incident, it was two that created the closure. And Carter Caves State Park has to take some of the responsibility, it was "the sacrificial cave". A sacrificial cave with about 3500 hibernating Indiana bats.
Cavers can be and are responsible. But what about the "renegade". The one that thinks the rules don't apply to them. Be pissed at them for getting caves gated; Be pissed at the spelunker, they help get the caves closed; Be pissed at the pot hunters that are digging up artifacts. And if you do it in Christian County, Kentucky, you might dig a trench deep enough that it collapses on you and you die, because that happened too. Be pissed at these people, the ones that don't follow the rules.
The reasons that cave gate workshops are being conducted is not simply close a cave, it's to try to keep everyone up to date on the newest technology. Things change over the years. It's discouraging when you get a phone call from someone that is asking about how to take care of a problem with a gate they just built. Then,you get the description and it's a 30 year old gate design they are using.
Workshops are to teach people the best way to go about gate installation. And yes, it does cost to put these workshops on. It's easy to rundown someone or some agency,instead of trying to teach others to do the right thing and just stay out of the caves when bats are using them, hibernation or maternity. Cave gates are a necessary evil. We would like to build less and less. Unfortunately, until there is another way to protect the resources of the caves, cave gates will always be.
I have to listen talk about the Always Closing Caves Association. Why don't you look at who it is that is getting caves closed, those that can't abide to the rules. The American Cave Conservation Association, the real ACCA, does not have the power to "close" a cave, we only provide a service. We have been given too much power over the years by those that think this.
Not all cave gates are for bat protection. It galls me every time I hear of USFWS providing funds to gate a cave without significant biological content. If law enforcement and the courts would get serious about cave vandals, pot hunters and the sick minded individuals killing bats then gates might be less necessary. I happen to think the entrance of a cave can be as Aesthetically pleasing as the interior and many of the gates I've seen are little more than vandalism. As ugly as spray paint and often as damaging.
Cavemud wrote:Yes wyandottecaver! Great post. Some caves do need gates....most do not. I believe it to be most associated with "control", wether it's from the landowner, or cavers. I say this as I look at my key ring with several keys for gated caves. Yes, there are bats in a few. There are formations in all. And then there's the liability concerned landowner. I can say I've never been involved with a gate without direct landowner involvement. All the keys I have are to caves that were dug open. I've never been involved with the gating of a natural entrance...nor do I wish to be. I do not like gates....but, if the landowner says, "gate it or I'll close the cave!"....I'll gate it.
wyandottecaver wrote:Deciding to gate a cave is like deciding to have kids....do it rarely if at all and think carefully for the long term or you and the rest of us may regret it!
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